This invention generally relates to a method and apparatus for controlling a content recording apparatus. Specifically, the present invention pertains to utilizing user availability criteria to determine whether content should be recorded on a recording device.
Recording devices, such as videocassette recording devices (VCRs), have the ability to record real-time content for later review. VCRs can be pre-programmed to record live television broadcasts. In a typical recording process, a user reviews either of a paper television program guide or electronic program guide (EPG) to determine what content a user wishes to record. A user typically does a mental calculation to determine what content the users wishes to record. This calculation may be based on the time in which the content is broadcast and a determination as to whether a user will be available to view the content at the broadcast time. Several factors may need consideration in determining whether a user will watch content as it is broadcast or will record it for later review. Factors such as the time of broadcast, conflicts with other broadcast content, and other scheduling matters such as work schedules and other appointment constraints.
VCRs are constructed such that they may be programmed often as much as a year in advance. However, it is recognized that the manual setup of a recording device, such as a VCR, is cumbersome. To facilitate the recording of regularly occurring broadcast content, such as weekly broadcast shows, a VCR can be programmed to record the same broadcast program each day or week. There are also other known systems that facilitate the recording of real-time content for later review. For example, VCRs utilize a system termed VCR Plus+(trademark). VCR Plus+(trademark) utilizes a program code that may be published in the program guide. The program code is entered into the VCR in the place of time and channel information. A VCR Plus+(trademark) enabled VCR deciphers the program code and determines corresponding recording channel and start and stop times.
Other systems may utilize an electronic programming guide (EPG) to facilitate the recording of content. Hard disk based recording devices, such as a TIVO(trademark) work in conjunction with the EPG to determine what should be recorded. The TIVO(trademark) may be instructed by the user to record particular content indicated on an EPG or may simply be instructed to record particular content at a single or regularly occurring interval. The TIVO(trademark) then may search the EPG for an occurrence of the indicated content. The TIVO(trademark) may also make an independent determination as to whether the user may be interested in recording content based on a constructed user profile.
However, neither the TIVO(trademark) nor the other prior art systems make a determination as to whether previously determined content should in fact be recorded at the time of broadcast. Oftentimes, the user may have initially thought that they would be available or unavailable to view content yet at the time of broadcast, the users scheduling has changed. In the prior art systems, the user must change the programming of the recording device to properly reflect these scheduling changes. This need for reprogramming further complicates user interaction with these recording devices.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to overcome the disadvantages of the prior art.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a method of facilitating the use and operation of a recording device.
These and other objects of the present invention are achieved by a recording device that utilizes a determining device to make a determination whether a user is available to review user selected content at a scheduled time. First, the user makes a selection of content that the user wishes the recording device to record. The recording device then queries a database, such as an electronic programming guide (EPG) to determine the scheduled time of the user-selected content. The recording device then queries the determining device, such as a calendar device. In the event that the recording device determines that the user is unavailable at the scheduled time of the selected content, the recording device records the selected content.
The recording device may determine if a medium, such as a videocassette tape, is available for recording the user selected content. In a case wherein a tape is unavailable to record the user selected content, the recording device may provide an indication to the user that a medium is unavailable. This indication may be in the form of a display icon on a television, an indication in the calendar device, etc.
The recording device may check the user availability to watch selected content more than once to determine whether the user scheduling has changed prior to the scheduled time of selected content. The recording device may also recheck the broadcast time of the selected content to determine whether the scheduled broadcast time has changed.